11 Pros and Cons of Being a VFX Artist

Art is one of the unique creative fields that not everyone can pursue. But, it has many opportunities to advance in the future with a high income.

In which, visual effects art is one of the most potential fields. I will explain the advantages and disadvantages of being a visual effects artist in the detailed article below.

Now, let’s dive into this post for more details!

What does a VFX artist do?

VFX artists create digital images by using state-of-the-art software. These images will become resources used in movies, consoles, or online video games.

You may be familiar with footage involving magical creatures, magical images, or other bogus things. These unique scenes are the work of VFX artists.

The products created by VFX artists will have seamless and sharp visual effects to create realism for viewers. You will feel like these animations take place in the real world and easily immerse yourself in many emotions.

VFX artists can work in many fields

VFX artists attract a lot of followers because of many pros. But this career can also bring many downsides you need to make sure that you can overcome.

You will receive many chances to develop yourself and increase your income when you pursue this career. Besides, the upsides that this job brings will be the motivation for you to pursue your passion.

1. Highly Paid

VFX artists can give you a more stable income than many other areas. When graduating and working, a VFX Artist can earn $57,300 per year.

This number will increase as you gain more work experience and can handle complex effects that require highly unique skills.

2. International Chances

There are many movies or video games by foreign investors for you to try and improve your skills. You can look for chances at these projects to learn more from foreign artists.

3. Work in Many Fields

VFX is a vast field that allows you to choose the path that best suits you. Depending on the job, you may have to perfect CGI images or perform effects in two-dimensional space.

Some positions are layout artist, multimedia artist, and lighting artist.

4. Gain Experiences

Your experience will directly affect your earnings. Recruiters, studios, and film crews will love signing on to seasoned experts more than fresh graduates.

So, the salary that you receive will increase year by year. This fact means that the more senior you are, your experience and salary will increase.

5. Community Connection

Artists often tackle their work dreamily and creatively. That’s why people who need help understanding art often struggle to grasp their ideas.

But working as a VFX artist, you will be working in an artistic environment and connecting with experts in the industry.

As a result, they will quickly learn your ideas and give valuable suggestions to build the most beneficial products together.

6. Awareness

Working as a VFX artist will allow you to delve deeper into yourself through creativity and observation of life. When you can imagine new-world scenarios, you will realize your habits, dreams, and desires.

7. Become a Better Problem Solver

One of the most critical keywords in VFX art is creativity. The flexibility and imagination that this job brings will create habits that allow you to find new methods and solutions to your troubles.

VFX artists have become people with many ideas and good problem solvers. Difficult obstacles in real life will no longer be complicated issues for them.

Before you commit to pursuing the work of VFX artists, you will need to know the job’s downsides. And you must persevere in facing significant pressure.

8. Long Working Hours

Office jobs usually only require employees to work 8 hours a day, but this will not apply to artists. Many VFX artists must perform their tasks for an extended period, up to 10 or even 12 or 14 hours in 24 hours.

In particular, when urgent work is needed to complete the project, artists may have to push their working time up to 18 hours daily. A prolonged workload often causes many health issues, both physical and mental.

9. Stress

High work pressure and long working hours cause severe psychological problems in many artists. So, many VFX artists experience stress, stress, or even depression because of their work.

10. Competition

Everyone wants an excellent job with a high and stable salary, so the more profitable fields, the higher the competition. You must work hard to build your brand and demonstrate your ability to surpass others.

11. Contract-Based Work

You have to work in contract-based projects

In the VFX industry, artists are to work on a specific project. So, their work will end after the project is completed.

Contract-based work offers both benefits and drawbacks to VFX artists. Accordingly, it allows you to work on many projects and gain rich experience. It can be beneficial for beginners to build their skills and reputation.

Yet, working under a contract also has its downsides. Accordingly, your income will not be as stable as permanent jobs. VFX artists may be unemployed between projects, which causes specific financial difficulties.

Conclusion

The work of visual effects artists has many highlights and downsides that few people know about. By understanding the pros and cons of being a VFX artist, you will find it easier to choose a career for your future career.

The chances for advancement that these career offers are also worth your consideration. Good luck with your choice soon!

If you have any questions regarding the content of the article, do not forget to leave them in the comments section below. Thank you for reading the article!